Cattle-guard gate for railways



Patented Nov. 29,1393;-

J. WILHE LM. CATTLE GUARD GATE FOR BAILWAYS.

( AppIication filed. Mar. 16, 1398.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH \VILHELM, OF IVHEATON, MINNESOTA.

CATTLE-GUARD GATE FOR RAlLWAYS.

SPECIFICATION fbrming part of Letters Patent No. 614,915, dated November29, 1898.

Application filed March 1 6, 1 89 8.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILHELM, residing at Wheaton, in the countyof Traverse and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cattle Guard Gates for Railways, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to train-operated and self-closing gates forcattle-guards for railways.

The object of the invention is to produce a gate which will close bygravity and will be opened by approaching trains by the weight of thewheels pressing on a suitable treadpiece, which serves to lift the gateor gates by mechanism hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a gate and connections and so much ofa railway-track as is needful to show the general relation of parts.Fig. 2 is a perspective of one rail,

showing a portion of the tread, rock-shaft,

and connections to the rail. Fig. 3 is a cross section showing rail,tread-piece, rock-shaft, and connections. Fig. at is a similar sectionshowing rail in difierent position.

A indicates one rail of a railway, of usual construction. This rail hasholes through its vertical web, and loops or eyebolts B are passedthrough the holes and secured by nuts B, the eye or loop 13 restingagainst the outer side of the rail. Two or more of these loops B formthe bearing for a rockshaft'O, which rock-shaft lies substantially underthe headof the rail and is free to rock in its bearings.

The rock-shaft C may be of considerable length, and as it lies close tothe rail and may have as many bearings as desirable it need not be veryheavy. The loops or bearings B may be simple coils in a threadedmetallic bolt or rod, and the end B? of this rod after passing aroundthe rock-shaft projects in the opposite direction to form a means forsecuring the guard or covering piece herein-' after referred to. Ascrew-ended rod with nuts at both ends and a turn or', loop in itscenter is a cheap and convenient means for holding the rock-shaft andits shield to the rail.

At convenient distances along the rockshaft 0 there are fixed sleeves Eor other suit- Serial No. 674,007. (No model.)

able means for holding rigid arms F to the rock-shaft. These arms F areactually leverarms and are connected by pivoted links G to thetread-piece H, which lies alongside the head, of the rail. The links Gmay be bent to secure adjustment of parts. The treadpiece H is supportedon the upper ends of these links G, so as to be close to the head of thetrack, and in its normal position the central portion of the tread-pieceHis above the top of the rai1,-while the ends of the piece H areinclined, so that a wheel rolling on the track will first encounter theinclined portion of the tread-piece H and by passing along the trackwill depress the tread-piece H, and by reason of the describedconnection by links and lever-arms this depression of tread-piece H willrock the shaft 0. Both ends of treadpiece H are inclined, so that atrain passing in either direction along track A will depress piece H androck shaft 0. The longer piece H is made the longer may be the inclinesnearits ends and the slower may be the rocking of shaft 0 by a trainmoving along the track and serving to depress piece H.

The rock-shaft O has a rigid lever-arm I projecting away from the track.The rocking of shaft 0 swings the arm I in an arc. Arm or lever I isconnected by a link K with the short arm L of a lever,,which lever hasits-fulcrum on a post M, and its long arm extends across the track andbears a gate 0,

preferably of wire or light framework. The

swinging of arm I downward by a Weight on tread-piece H, as has beenexplained, draws on link K and the short arm of lever L, and this swingsup the long arm of lever Land the gate, as indicated in dotted lines,Fig. 1. The weight of parts can be so proportioned that this movement iseasily effected, but the gate should somewhat overbalance, so that itwill drop to the closed position (shown in full lines, Fig. 1) as soonas the weight of the wheel or train shall have passed off fromtread-piece H; or, if desirable, springs may be connected to act insteadof weight for closing the gate, such a use of springs being common.

To cover and protect the mechanism, a guard-strip -D, of wood or metal,may be connected to the rails by the outer ends B of the loops B or theguard may be otherwise supported. This guard-piece D may have a slot oropening for 1he passage of arm. I, so as not to interfere with theoperation of the working parts.

From the foregoing description it is thought the construction andoperation of this device will be readily understood. The approachingtrain bears down on tread-piece H, which works shaft 0, which, throughthe connections described, swings up the gate. As long as weight restson the piece II the gate stays up, and it closes and restores piece IIto normal position as soon as the weight is removedthat is, when thetrain has passed off piece H. The piece can be long enough to secureeasy movement and ample time for movement.

YVhat I claim is- 1. In a railway guard-gate, the combination with thetrack-rail, of a rock-shaft supported thereon and having rigid arms, atreadpiece alongside the track and connected to the arms of therock-shaft, a lever rigid with the rock-shaft, and a gate supported on apivot alongside the track, and connected to the lever of the rock-shaft,all combined substantially as described.

2. In a railway-gate, the combination with a track-rail, of a rock-shaftalongside the rail, under the head and supported in bearing eyes havingextensions through the web, arms on said rock-shaft, links connectingsaid arms said gate by the depression of the tread-piece,

all substantially as described.

3. In a railway-gate, the combination, with the track-rail, of the rodseach having a central loop as a bearing for a rock-shaft, theretaining-nut at one side of the rail, the shield or guard held to placeby nuts on the looped rods at the other side of the rail, and therockshaft and connections whereby the gate is operated, all combinedsubstantially as described.

4. In a railway cattle-guard gate, the rockshaft in bearings secured toa rail, said shaft having rigid arms, the tread-piece alongside of saidrock-shaft and connected by links to the rigid arms of the shaft, theends of said tread-piece being inclined and its centralportion extendingnormally above the track, and a lever-arm connected to said rock-shaftand connected by a link to the short arm of a piv otally-supported gate,all combined substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH \VILlIELllI.

\Vitnesses:

T. K. MoRK, L. P. DEAL.

